tmcg1959

Today at 'work' I made up all the actual baseboard frames from 60 x 22 redwood all glued and screwed together, it is starting to really come together and I have a real vision on what I want to portray. The layout will feature Omagh coming in from the Derry Road end through the station and out the Dromore Road in the direction of Enniskillen. The Portadown line which was proving to make the layout so difficult will be featured but running into some sort of scenic disguise, possibly the end of a coach showing going into the background. For now I am concentrating on building this as an end to end layout with storage yard and fiddle yards at either end. As things progress and if they work well I can connect the line at either side to make a full circuit.

Spent several hours in shed today building the framework that will support the baseboards. Using 44x32mm planed, screwed frames together and screwed to inner shed walls using 25mm right angle metal brackets. I'll make the actual baseboards themselves in sections of 750mm approx to fit the 2.9m runs. Whats an average amount to raise the trackbed to form an embankment? Our local railway bridge used to display a clearance of around 12feet from memory.

Advice appreciated. The plan was to install the baseboard supports as a permanent base, screwed into position. The actual baseboards will be individual units resting on the supports, more for any emergency - I don't imagine i'll move house and if I ever do it will be off to Oz!

I have cut all my baseboard tops to the dimensions I need, I think I'm quite happy to go with a permanent layout. Basically I have 350mm wide baseboard tops that run 2.9metres in length each side of the shed and 1.6m across the width. I went for 350mm because it allows me to do wider radius curves. Although the layout is based on Omagh, I have decided to take the liberty of not following the track plan exactly since it would never work in a small space. Instead I have used some ideas from Kierans superb layout to make things work.

Which is why it's good to ask questions...... 'Measure twice, cut once' - an old Tyrone proverb!

I'm in two minds as to whether a layout should be built with exhibition in mind or made permanent in a shed. I'd imagine that there is quite a bit of risk of damage with travel and setting up that comes with the exhibition circuit and nowadays with youTube you can exhibit your layout globally on the internet. Anyone any thoughts on this?

NoelG, I have to take my hat off to our dear friend Kieran. He has managed to lead me back onto the straight and 'narrow' - back to the bigger world of 00. I have a nice plan in mind and some new baseboards to build.

Error- intended a PM here

Kieran, I never interpreted your response in any other way. I know what you were saying. I'm wearing +3 glasses and I too find it difficult at the best of times. I dropped a brake lever belonging to a cattle wagon a few months back and still cannot find it! I'll be honest, I really am struggling to accomplish my goals - the planning stage is difficult.

NoelG, I couldn't agree more.

Kieran, I went to the Model Shop in Enniskillen and handled some of the N gauge wagons there. The detail was absolutely amazing. Of course it may be difficult to scratch build a lot of things that are possible in 00 however if I stayed with 00 I am certain I wouldn't be able to do what I plan and what I visualise. There is a growing development in Irish through 00 however, its not impossible in N. I am a regular at the N-gauge forum and it is both inspirational and supportive - the layouts there are equally amazing as anything I've seen on larger scale forums.

After a long period of debate work on Omagh GNRi Station in N-gauge started in earnest a few weeks ago and as time allowed I built baseboard legs fitted with T-nuts and bolts to allow levelling. The baseboards are built in two sections each 2100mm long and measure 500mm and 300mm wide. This gives me 2100x800mm in total. The 500mm section is the scenic part of the layout with the 300mm section (behind the background) giving me storage yards and return circuits. This is a challenging model in N but the only way for me to go. At the moment I am fixing the legs and baseboards into the purpose built garden shed and everything is either screwed or bolted together - should I ever decide to exhibit!

I must admit I know little, or nothing about GNRi coaching stock. Is anyone aware of any N-gauge coaches that are available RTR that are similar to GNRi and UTA stock pre-closure. I would appreciate any info.

Managed to get hold of a RTR 12-ton tanker thats pretty close and primed it. I also fitted the brake lever.

I just cannot get the time these evenings after work to do much with this project but every little bit helps, and keeps me motivated. I attached the white metal brake shoes with Araldite Rapid (well actually it's the Pound Shop equivalent) and have the brake levers ready to go.

Must pick that mag up, thats a fantastic layout!

Lovely layout, fascinating! Any plans to build the Fintona Horse Tram? Back in 1992 I built a model of the tram which was purchased by the Folk and Transport Museum at Cultra. I don't know if it is ever displayed but I built in 00 and my good friend Norman Johnston also launched his book on the tram around the same period.

Here's a Dapol conflat I altered to show a more prototypical braking system, similar to the GNRi. I cut away the BR braking and replacing it with a nice cast white metal single braking lever and shoe.

One of the drawbacks with modelling Irish in 00 is the problems with overall width. Apart from track gauge, the overall width of wagon body and subsequently everything that is built on top of the wagon floor has to change too. Weedspraying tanks especially!

I have access to an Epilogue laser cutting machine and am also an autoCad user. I was interested to know if any others on these forum have tried this process to produce wagons sides/ends as the possibilities are endless.

Kieran, very interesting indeed. There are slight similarities in what has been done here and how this developed from the very basic GNRi weed sprayer of the past. Tonight I cut the floor and mounted the w-irons with Araldite Rapid. This gives me time to check, and double check their dimensions and positions. I hope to post the progress of this project.

I'm a sucker for punishment....... when I first saw Tony Miles' layout Adavoyle Junction way back in the mid 90s I was really impressed by the Weed Spraying train that ran on the line. My interest was reborn when I got a photograph of the same plant taken at Omagh General Station in 1961. I decided I would make this my first scratch building project in my new garden shed, even though I have just a couple of drawings and a few photographs. This weekend I folded the brass W-irons, added the brass bearings and glued the white metal axle boxes in position. Next task will be to cut the chassis and fix the flooring in position. Any additional information and detail is more than welcome.

After several issues last week with my MacBook, I have had to ask Admin to delete my postings under the name ConventSiding and rejoin under a new name. Apart from issues with my MacBook I have lost ALL my iPhone contacts so I'd appreciate it if, those who know me kindly send me a PM with their details if they would still like to keep in touch by email. Thanks Tony